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Trusted Mobile & Embedded DevelopersSat, 24 Feb 2018 18:30:01 +0000en-UShourly1How Do I Simulate the ESC Key on Aton Connect for SSH?http://www.aton.com/simulate-esc-key-aton-connect-ssh/
Tue, 20 Feb 2018 22:37:03 +0000http://www.aton.com/?p=1380Question: I have just installed Aton Connect for SSH, VT220, Telnet on my Windows Mobile 6.5 phone (LG Fathom). I am unable to simulate an ESC key. I have followed the instructions by pressing the “Mode” button the “J”, but a “?” is displayed on the screen. What is the correct method to simulate an […]

]]>Question: I have just installed Aton Connect for SSH, VT220, Telnet on my Windows Mobile 6.5 phone (LG Fathom). I am unable to simulate an ESC key. I have followed the instructions by pressing the “Mode” button the “J”, but a “?” is displayed on the screen. What is the correct method to simulate an ESC key?

Answer: Thank you for bringing to our attention that our help file is incomplete.

Soft (On Screen) Keyboard

The ‘VT220’ soft keyboard installed by Aton Connect includes an ESC key on the bottom next to the Space bar. You can also use the Ctl key on the soft keyboard to access the complete range (0 – 31) of ASCII control codes shown below.

For the a hardware keyboard, the situation is a bit different. If the hardware keyboard on your phone includes a Ctl or Ctrl key, then you can use that to access the control codes.

Most smartphones with a hardware keyboard only include about half the number of keys physically present on a regular desktop keyboard. Some compromises, including elimination of the ESC and CTRL keys are made. In addition, the physical keys are multiplexed via a mode key variously labeled ‘Fnc’, ‘Alt’, or ‘dot’. This mode key provides a way to enter digits or symbols on the small physical keyboard.

In addition to the usual 80 to 100 characters provided by the typical desktop computer keyboard, terminal emulation requires 20 to 40 additional keystroke functions. Aton Connect enables that by the addition of a soft key on the bottom left side of the screen labeled ‘Mode’. Some versions of Windows Mobile phones also include a key on the left and right side of the physical keyboard, labeled with a hyphen or dot to be equivalent of pressing the left or right soft key.

So in order to use the ESC key, you can either directly enter it on the soft keyboard, or use the following sequence of keystrokes to generate it with the small hardware keyboard.

1. Mode (soft key, bottom left of screen, or hardware key on upper left labeled with hyphen or dot, hardware key not present in some phones) 2. Shift Z 3. ( or [ character (may require first pressing the ‘Fnc’, ‘Alt’, or ‘dot’ key)

The full range of ASCII control characters can be entered as follows, replacing the ( or [ character with one of the characters listed: